Roof structure



June 25, 1968 D. J. sARLo ETAL l ROOF lSTRUCTURE 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Oct. 28, 1966 @am JE. 5

BY A a c i @TTQRNEYS June 25 D. J, SARLO ETAL.

RooF STRUCTURE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2' Filed Oct. 28, 1966 QM.. Y

OM//v/CK J 540 @aero/v l.. 5/6644 ATTORNEYS JLM June 25, 1968 D. J. sARLo ETAL ROOF STRUCTURE 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 28, 1966 INVENTORS DoM//v/cK J ARLO azo/V S/EGAc ATTORNEYS United States Patent O 3,389,512 ROOF STRUCTURE Dominick J. Sarlo, River Grove, and Burton L. Siegal, Skokie, Ill., assignors to Kenron Aluminum dz Glass Corporation, Niles, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed Oct. 28, 1966, Ser. No. 590,313 10 Claims. (Cl. 52-11) ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A roof structure has a generally rectangular marginal frame Icomprising rain gutters. The rafters located between side beam portions of the frame have their ends xedly secured to the front and rear beams of the frame and with their tops Iabove the inner walls of the gut-ters. Corrugated 4roof panels have overlapping margins supported on the rafters :and extend at their front and rear margins over the inner walls of .the front and rear gutter beams. At their yrespective ends the rafters and the adjacent portions of the panels a-re secured to inwardly extending overlying flanges on the outer walls of `the gu-tter beams. `Purlins extending between the rafters have valley portions of the roof panels secured thereto.

This invention relates to improvements in roof structures and more particularly rela-tes to lan improved form of panel roof structure adapted for porches and other enclosures.

A principal object of the invention is to provide ya novel and improved form of roof structure in which the rooting is formed from fiberglass paneling and the supporting frame structure is arnanged to reduce the tendency of the roof structure to twist runder loa-ds.

Another obje-ct Iof the invention is .to provide an improved form of readily assembla-ble panel type roof structure arranged with -a view ltoward utmost strength `and simplicity in structure, wit-h improved sealing means for the roof structure.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simpli lied form of roof structure particularly adapted for enclosed porches and the like, in which the roong comprises corrugated paneling of a plastic material, the corrugations of which run from the front to the rear of the roof yand lap along the support-ing rafters for the paneling, and in `which ya simple and improved form of seal is provided for Ithe paneling along the region of lap thereof.

A further object of the invention is to improve upon the roof structures heretofore luseid for the Iroofs of porches and the like, in which the gutters form support structures lfor the roof and are `in the form lof a rectangu la-r fra-me, and in which the rafters are supported on the front and rear gutters and are rigidly secured thereto at ,their opposite ends to provide the moment couple of a fixed end beam.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an improved form of roof for enclosures .and the like, in which the roon g is in the form of corrugated fiberglass paneling and the support frame for the paneling includes a rectangular marginal frame formed by Irain `gutters supporting the rafters Iand purlins of the roof structure, which support 'the fiberglass paneling to extend within the gutters, to provide for the free flow of rain into said gutters and to retain the paneling in position along the marginal edges ofthe roof.

ICC

These and other objects of *the invention will appear 4from time to time as the following specification proceeds and with reference to ythe accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is la View in side elevation of an enclosed porch showing a roof constructed in accordance wit-h the principles of the present invention mounted to extend from the wall of a building;

lFIGURE 2 is a partial fragmentary transverse sectional view .taken substantially along lines II-Ill of FIGURE 1;

'FIGURE 3 is a partial longitudinal sectional view taken along the roof shown in FIGURES 1 and 2;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional view 'taken substantially along line lV-IV of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary detail side elevational View of Ione of the rafters;

FIGURE 6 is an end view of the rafter shown in FIG- URE 5 looking at the rafter along line VI--VI of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary top plan view of a corner section of the roof, with parts broken away in order to show cer-tain details of `the gutter structure at the corners of adjacent gutters; land FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of a form of `insect seal yused to seal the interior of the roof from .the entrance of insects.

`In the embodiment of the inven-tion illustrated in the drawings, we have shown in FIGURE 1 .an enclosure 1() extending from the wall of a building. The enclosure 10 may be an enclosed or screened porch and is shown Ias having ya roof 11 sloping from the building to the outer end of the porch, to accommodate the drainage of water along the .roof -i-n-to a rain gutter 12, extending along the front of the roof and supported on upright posts 13, forming a part of the framework for the porch (FIG- URE 3).

The supporting framework for the roof is shown as being in the form of a rectangular marginal roof support ing frame, `for-med from t-he front rain gutter 12 supported on the posts 13, a rear rain gutter 15 extending along and secured to the wall lof the building `and side rain gutters 16, dening opposite sides of the roof structure.

The rain gutters 15 and 12 form xed end supports for parallel rafters 17, 17 extending from the wall of the building to the front of the roof and xed at their ends to said rain gutters 15 and 12, to rigidity the roof structure and reduce the deflection thereof and to thereby counteract the tendency of the roof structure'to twist under loads, as will hereinafter more clearly appear as this specilication proceeds. The side rain gutters form supports for purlins 19 at the outer ends of said side rain gutters. The purlins 19 are supported at their opposite ends on flanges 20 of the rafters 17. The side rain gutters also form supports for roof panels 21, supported inwardly of said rain gutters on rafters 17. The roof panels 21 are shown in FIGURE 2 as corrugated panels the corrugations of which are in the form of a modified or frusto V in cross-section, having tlat top surfaces 22 forming the peaks of the corrugations and at bottom surfaces 23 forming the bottoms of the valleys lof the corrugations. The corrugated panels 21 may be made fro-n1 a plastic material such as a glass fiber material or from any other suitable material, which may readily be molded to the require-d form and provide a waterproof long life coverlng.

The yfront and rear rain gutters 12 and 15 and the side rain gutters 16 are of a Similar construction and are mitered at their corners. The front rain gutter 12, therefore, need only herein be described in detail and the reference numerals applied to the rain gutter 12 will be applied to similar parts of the rain gutters and 16.

The 4rain gutter 12 has a relatively flat bottom wall 25 resting on Iand extending forwardly of the post 13 (FIG- URE 3). The gutter also has an upright front or outer wall 26 extending generally perpendicular to the bottom wall 15 and contoured to provide a pleasing appearance. The upright wall 26 terminates -into an inwardly extending 1llange 27 generally parallel to the `bottom wall 25 and extending over the rooting panels 21. The gutter 12 also has a rearwardly spaced upright wall 29 extending perpendicular to the bottom wall and spaced inwardly of the inner end of said rain gutter. A supporting ledge or llange 28 extends inwardly of the upright wall 29 and for-ms an inward Vcontinuation of the bottom wall 25. The Iinner upright Wall 29 has a ledge 30 extending inwardly therefrom, generally parallel to the bottom wall 25 and forming a support for valleys 23 of the panels 21. Bottom edges 31 of right angled recessed portions 33 of the rafters -17 extend over .said ledge in spaced relation with respect thereto, to accommodate said rafters to extend under the flanges 29, and ybe secured thereto. Gibbed guides 35 extend inwardly of the Walls 26 and 29 adjacent the bottom wall 25 of the gutter and form retainer guides for generally L-shaped corner splice lplates 36, connecting the adjacent gutters together at their mitered corners. Self-tapping screws 36a are provided to secure said corner plates to adjacent gutters. The underside of the ledge 30 also has facing gibbed guides 37 into which fit generally L-shaped corner keys 39 secured to the ledges of adjacent gutters by self-tapping screws 39a. The flange 27 has similar facing gibbed guides 40 for corner keys 41 secured to the flanges of adjacent gutters by self-tapping screws 41a. The corner plates 36 and the corner keys 39 and 41 thus connect the side rain troughs 16, 16 to the rear and front rain gutters 15 and 12 respectively, and retain said gutters in relatively rigid rel-ation with respect to each other. The corner plates 36 may be covered with a commercial form of waterproof cement (not shown), to form tight leakproof joints at the corners of the rain gutters.

The rain gutter `12 also has a depending flange 43, perpendicular to the bottom yplate 25, and spaced a short distance forwardly of the upright wall 29, and forming a means for securing the rain gutter to the post 13, as by sel-f-tapping sc-rews 44 or other suitable securing means. f

As shown in 'FIGURE 2 the side rain gutters 16 extend along and are supported on beams 45 of the enclosure, the outer walls of which Ibeams are a'butted by the flanges 43 and secured thereto.

As shown in FIGURES 2, 4, 5 and 6, each rafter 17 is in the general form of a T-beam having a web 47 extending upwardly of the bottom flange 20 of the rafter 17 and having a top head 48 generally conforming to the `form of the panels 21, at the peaks thereof, and forming a support therefor. The rectangular recessed portions 33 of the rafters are cut-away from the webs and bottom llanges =of the rafters at each end thereof and `are of sufcient depth to accommodate the head 48 to clear and extend over the ledges 30 of the rain gutters 15 and 12 under the inwardly extending flanges 27 of said rain gutters. The rafters 17 rest on the inwardly extending supporting ledges 28 at their opposite ends, and have angle brackets 49, 49 secured to the Webs 47 thereof, and abutting the insides of t-he inwardly spaced walls 29.

Vertically spaced rivets 51, or other suitable securing means are provided to secure the angle brackets to the webs 47 in alignment with each other, with the right angled portions of said angle brackets facing and abutting the inner faces of the inwardly spaced walls 29. A single screw 53, herein shown as -being a self-tapping screw, is provided to secure each angle bracket to the wall 29.

The Iparallel spaced rafters 17, 17 are fixed to the gutters 15 and 12 at their rear and front ends by the angle brackets 49 and self-tapping screws 70, extending through the flanges 27, the lapped panels 21 and threaded in the heads 4S of said rafters, to provide the rigidity of beams fixed or embedded in concrete at their ends, to thereby attain a rigid relatively twist-free roof supporting structure.

The purlins 19 supported on the flanges 20 of the rafters 17 and on the inward extensions of the bottom wall 25 of the gutters at opposite end portions of the roof, further serve to rigidity the roof and to support the valleys 23 of the panels. The purlins 19 may be aluminum extrusions having opposite flanges 55 connected t0- gether by a web 56. The lower flanges 55 of the intermediate purlins rest on the flanges 20 of the rafters 17 and are shown as secured thereto by self-tapping screws 57. The outer purlins 19 have angle brackets 59 secured to opposite sides of the web thereof as lby Irivets 604 and abutting the inside of an inner wall 29 Vand secured thereto as by self-tapping screws 61. As shown in FIGURE 2, the valleys of the roof panels 23 rest on the top flanges 55 of the purlins 19 and are secured thereto as by self-tapping screws 65.

As shown in FIGURES 2 and 4 the corrugated panels 21 lap at the inner ends thereof along the heads 48 of the rafters 17. The corrugations of the panels conform to the heads of the rafters 17, and are lapped by the adjacent panels 21, conforming in cross-section to the undersides of the lapping panels. Sealing strips 66 are interposed between the lapping flat peaked portions 22 of the adjacent panels 21, to assure against leakage between the panels.

The sealing strip 66 may be made from rubber, a polyethylene foam material or other compressible foam material. One side of the strip may have pressure sensitive adhesive extending therealong to hold the strip in place when assembling the roof structure. The sealing strip thus seals the panels from the passage of moisture therebetween and particularly against wind blown rain.

The panels 21 also rest on the ledges 30 along the flat valleys 23 thereof and are secured thereto at suitable intervals as by self-tapping screws 67 or like securing means, and extend under the flanges 27 at their front and rear ends and are secured to said llanges by the selftapping screws 70, which also rigidly secure the rafters 17 thereto. 'Self-tapping screws 68 are provided to hold the panels 21 to the rafters 17 at suitable intervals along said rafters.

The side portions of the outer panels 21 also extend beneath the flanges 27 of the gutters 16, with the llat peaked portions thereof flexed downwardly by the gibs of the gibbed `guides 40, and are secured thereto as by self-tapping screws 69.

The screws 65, 67 and 68 may be sealed to the panels by conventional forms of sealing washers (not shown) or other suitable sealing means to prevent leakage past said screws.

Seals 73 are provided between the top ledges 30 of the rear walls 29 of the gutters 12 and 15 and the undersides of the peaked portions of the corrugations of the panels 21. Said seals may be made from a flexible material such as plastic or rubber, and serve to seal the roof against the entrance of bugs through the peaked undersurfaces of the panels 21. The seals 73 generally conform to the corrugations of the panels and may be cemented or otherwise secured to the ledges 30 of the front and rear gutters.

It may be seen from the foregoing that a simplified form of -water and air-tight roof structure has been provided, particularly adapted for canopies, porches and other enclosures, in which the rain gutters form the marginal frame of the roof structure, and in which the rafters are rigidly fixed to the rain gutters at their ends to provide in effect a fixed beam, in which the deflection and stress for a given load is reduced in half over a pivoted end support for the beam, with a resultant reduction in the tendency of said rafters and the roof framing structure to twist under loads.

It may further be seen that the roof may readily be assembled with no more tools than a screw driver and drill and presents a pleasing appearance to the eye as well as a lightweight practical water-tight roof, affording free drainage of water along the roof, and sealing the roof against the entrance of bugs into the enclosure along the underside of the peaks of the corrugated panels.

While we have herein shown and described one form in which the invention may be embodied, it may readily be understood that various variations and modifications in the invention may be attained without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts thereof,

We claim as our invention: 1. In a roof structure including a generally rectangular marginal frame having front, back and side frame members in the form of rain gutters joined at their corners and having outer and inner walls and a bottom therebetween:

:a ledge extending inwardly along the inner walls of the gutters on the same general level as the bottom;

spaced parallel rafters extending longitudinally between said front and back frame members and having bottom flanges resting on the ledges of the front and rear frame members with vertical webs rising therefrom and top flanges on the webs;

purlins spacing said rafters apart and secured to said rafters and to said upright walls of said side frame members and having top flanges disposed beneath the top flanges of the rafters;

a plurality of corrugated roof panels having alternate peak and valley portions extending longitudinally of the roof structure between said side frame members from and between said back and front frame members;

undersides of the peak portions of the corrugatlons of said panels resting on the top flanges of said rafters in supported relation thereon;

and bracket members secured to said inner walls of said front and back frame members and secured to said webs of said rafters whereby said frame members provide roof beams cooperating with the rafters to hold the roof structure Afrom twisting under loads.

2. The structure of claim 1,

wherein said rain gutters are mitered at their corners,

wherein gibbed guides extend parallel to said flat'bottoms,

wherein L-shaped corner keys extend between said flat bottoms and said gibbed guides, at the corners thereof, to detachably connect said rain gutters together in rigid relation with respect to each other,

wherein said-front `walls of said rain gutters have top flanges extending inwardly therefrom over said corrugated roof panels,

wherein said roof panels are secured to said rafters at the tops of the corrugations thereof and to said purlins at the valleys thereof, and

wherein means accessible yfrom the tops of said rain gutters are provided to secure said inwardly extending flanges to the peaks of the corrugations of said roof panels.

3. The structure of claim 2,

wherein the lower flanges and webs of said rafters are cutaway at opposite ends thereof accommodating the top flanges of said rafters to extend beyond said inner walls toward said outer upright walls and support the roof panels to extend over said rain gutters under the inwardly extending flanges extending from the front Walls thereof,

wherein angle brackets are secured to opposite sides CII d of the webs of said rafters and have right angled legs in alignment with margins of the cutaway portions thereof, and abutting the insides of said inner walls of said front and rear rain gutters,

Iwherein means are provided for securing said angle brackets to said inner walls of saidl rain gutters to fix said rafters thereto, and

wherein means are provided for securin g said inwardly extending flanges of said outer upright walls to said roof panels and to the inwardly extending portions of said rafters, and cooperating with sai-d angle brackets to provide fixed end supporting rafters for said roof structure.

4. The structure of claim 1,

wherein the roof panels are made from a glass fiber material, and

wherein resilient sealing tape separates said roof panels in the region of lap of said roof panels along said rafters.

S. The structure of claim 1,

wherein said top flanges of said rafters extend over said front and rear rain gutters,

wherein said front walls of said rain gutters have top flanges extending inwardly therefrom,

-wherein said roof panels extend under the inwardly extending flanges of said front walls of said front, back and side rain gutters,

wherein means accessible from the tops of said rain gutters are provided to secure said. panels to said inwardly extending flanges,

and wherein the means securing said rafters to said inner walls of said gutters comprise angle brackets having legs secured to opposite sides of the webs of said rafters and having right angled legs abutting the inner sides of said inner walls and rigidly secured thereto.

6. In combination in a roof structure of the character described:

a generally rectangular marginal frame comprising front, back and side rain gutters joined at their corners and provided with perspective inner Walls, a bottom wall and an outer wall with the outer wall higher than the inner Wall;

spaced parallel rafters extending generally parallel to the side frame members and having their respective opposite ends secured fixedly to the inner walls of the front and back frame members;

said rafters having tops which are higher than the inner walls of said frame members;'

and corrugated roof panels having alternate peak and valley portions extending longitudinally of said rafters and Iwith peak portions of said panels engaged longitudinally in supported relation on the tops of said rafters;

margins of said panels extending over said inner walls and with the opposite ends of the valleys located in draining relation over said bottoms and inwardly of said outer walls.

7. A roof structure according to claim 6, said rafters having upper portions thereof including said tops extending over the inner walls of said front and back members, inwardly directed flanges on the outer walls of said front and back members overlying said end portions of the rafters and adjacent end portions of said panels, and means securing said flanges and said end portions of the panels and said end portions of the rafters fixedly together.

8. A roof structure according to claim 6, including purlins spacing said rafters apart and secured to said rafters and to said upright inner walls of said side frame members, and means securing said panels to said purlins.

9. A roof structure according to claim 6, said outer walls of said side frame members having inwardly extending upper edge flanges, said panels having side margins underlying said flanges, and means securing said flanges and said side margins together.

10. A roof structure according to claim 6, in which 7 8 said front and back frame members have inwardly eX- 2,923,386- 2/ 1960 Harry 52-394 tending supporting ansges generally aligned with Said bOt- 3,084,479 4/1963 Struben 52-478 toms thereof, and said rafters resting on said flanges. 3,092,218 6/1963 Clay 52 460 References Cited 5 FRANK L. ABBOTT, Primary Examiner. UNITED STATES PATENTS CHARLES W. ISAACS, Assistant Examiner.

2,873,698 2/1959 Hartman et al 52-11 

